[NT] Microsoft Local Troubleshooter ActiveX Control Buffer Overflow (Technical Details)

From: SecuriTeam (support_at_securiteam.com)
Date: 10/16/03

  • Next message: SecuriTeam: "[NT] Vulnerability in Exchange Server Could Allow Arbitrary Code Execution (MS03-046)" 
    To: list@securiteam.com
Date: 16 Oct 2003 19:43:07 +0200

    The following security advisory is sent to the securiteam mailing list, and can be found at the SecuriTeam web site: http://www.securiteam.com
    - - promotion

    The SecuriTeam alerts list - Free, Accurate, Independent.

    Get your security news from a reliable source.
    http://www.securiteam.com/mailinglist.html

    - - - - - - - - -

      Microsoft Local Troubleshooter ActiveX Control Buffer Overflow (Technical
    Details)
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------

    SUMMARY

    Microsoft Local Troubleshooter is an ActiveX control that is not very well
    documented, it is usually used by Microsoft Windows's trouble shooting
    help. This control is installed by default under the Windows 2000
    operating systems. When one of its methods is called with a long string a
    buffer overflow occurs, this overflow can be used by attacker to cause it
    to execute arbitrary code.

    DETAILS

    This ActiveX control has a few methods and properties. One of the methods
    called "RunQuery2" has a buffer overflow when it is called with a long
    string in first parameter.

    To reproduce the overflow just copy-and-paste the following:
    ------sample.htm-----------
    < object id="test" classid="CLSID:4B106874-DD36-11D0-8B44-00A024DD9EFF">
    </object>
    < script> test.RunQuery2("longstringhere","","");
    </script>
    ---------------------------

    Microsoft Local Troubleshooter ActiveX control is marked as safe for
    scripting and initialization, so the above sample will run without being
    blocked (in default Internet Explorer security configuration).

    This vulnerability can be exploited through XSS, sending to a victim an
    HTML e-mail, or social engineering a user to open an HTML page specially
    constructed. Exploitation of this vulnerability could allow an attacker to
    execute code of his choice in the victim computer.

    Vendor Status:
    Microsoft released a fix.

    For a patch see:
     
    <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS03-042.asp> http://www.securiteam.com/windowsntfocus/6K00D1P8KG.html

    ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

    The information has been provided by <mailto:cesarc56@yahoo.com> Cesar.

    ========================================

    This bulletin is sent to members of the SecuriTeam mailing list.
    To unsubscribe from the list, send mail with an empty subject line and body to: list-unsubscribe@securiteam.com
    In order to subscribe to the mailing list, simply forward this email to: list-subscribe@securiteam.com

    ====================
    ====================

    DISCLAIMER:
    The information in this bulletin is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind.
    In no event shall we be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages.

  • Next message: SecuriTeam: "[NT] Vulnerability in Exchange Server Could Allow Arbitrary Code Execution (MS03-046)"

    Relevant Pages